Hanger latch



United States Patent M 3,l2,592 HANGER LATCH 501m R. Yancey, Houston,Tera, assignor to FMC Corporation, Lose, (Salli, a corporation oiDelaware Qozatinuatien of application No. $58,7ll2, Dee. it), H59. hisapplication Ma 27, 1954, Ser. No. 37$,4il l 13 (Jlaizns. (Cl. 24-263}The present application is a continuation of my application SerialNumber 858,792 filed December 10, 1959, entitled Hanger Latch and nowabandoned.

This invention pertains to split hangers for sus ending one or morestrings of tubing or casing Within a well installation, and particularlyto latches for hangers of this type.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved latch mechanism forlocking a split hanger in assembled relation about a string of tubing orcasing.

Cither objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and ac companying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical diametric sectional view of a hanger embodying thelatch of the present invention, showing the hanger installed in a wellhead assembly.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken on lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 and illustrates the latchin its locked position.

PEG. 4 is a view similar to FlG. 3 and illustrates the latch in itsreleased position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the hanger with the latch of the presentinvention released and the hanger partly open.

PEG. 6 is a perspective of the hanger showing the latch in its latchedrelation thereto.

Referring now particularly to PEG. 1, it indicates a tubing or casinghead of conventional construction mounted at a well head in the usualmanner. A hanger 12 is mounted the-rein and comprises a lower metalportion 14, a packing element 16, a packing energizing ring 18 and anupper ring 23. A plurality of cap screws 22 extend through suitableapertures in the rings 1% and 2i and the packing element 16, and arethreadedly received in suitably tapped holes 24 in the lower member 14to hold the several elements in their assembled relation.

The rim or the ring 2% is chamfered downwardly and inwardly as indicatedat 26, and the rim or" the ring 18 is cbam-fered upwardly and inwardlyas indicated at 28. A plurality of retaining pins 3% having conicalinner ends 32 extend through and are threadedly engaged in suitablytapped horizontal holes 34 in the tubing head 19, and are adapted to bescrewed inward to engage the chamfered surface 28 and force the ring 18downwardly to energize the packing element in in the manner which iscustomary and well known in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the several rings 14, 18and 2b are split diametrically into arcuate segmental members and thatthe sea-ling element 16 is provided with a radial split 17 in alignmentwith the end portions of the segments of the rings 14, 18 and 2%. Thus,the sealing element 16 acts as a hinge for the hanger 12 as it is openedas illustrated in FIG. 5 to fit it around a well string 40, asillustrated in FIG. 1.

The latch of the present invention comprises an annular groove 42 ofdovetail cross section, formed in the periphery of the lower element 14of the hanger $12. A ring 44-, likewise having a dovetail crosssectional configuration, is slidably received within the groove The ring44 is split diametrically into arcuate segmental members as is theelement 14 within which it is mounted. A plurality of setscrews 46 arethreaded into suitably tapped Patented any 6, 1965 radial holes in thering 44 and are adapted to abut against the bottom surface of the groove42 formed in the element 1 In the use of the latch assembly of thepresent invention the setscrews to are withdrawn, as illustrated in FIG.4, to permit the two halves of the latch ring it to be rotated in thegroove 42 until the ends thereof are in alignment with the diametricalsplit in the element 14. The hanger 12 can now be opened, as illustratedin FIG.

5, and installed about a well string 49, as illustrated in PEG. 1. Whenthe hanger i2 has been so installed, the

two halves of the ring 44 are again rotated in the groove 42 until theends thereof are approximately removed from the diametrical split in theelement 14. While in this position the two halves of the ring 44interconnect the two halves of the hanger 12, uniting them into asubstantially cylindrical body through which the Well string 0 extends.The setscrews 46 are then turned inwardly to force the ring 44 outwardlyinto tight engagement with the inclined walls of the dovetail groove 42as illustrated in Phil. 3, thus locking the ring 4-4 againstcircumferential shifting Within the groove 42. The assembly is thenready for the string ll? to be lowered to land the same within thecasing head by means of the hanger 112.

When it is desired to remove the hanger 12 from the well string 45), thesetscrews 46 are again withdrawn to loosen the ring 44 in the groove 42,and the ring is again turned until the ends of the halves thereof are inalignment with the diametrical split in the element 14-. The hanger 12may now be again opened, as illustrated in FIG. 5, and removed from thewell string 4% The rings 14 and i l thus provide a plurality of arcuatesegmental first and second members disposable together in cooperatingrelation with respect to each other to form a substantially radiallyrigid annular body, these first and second members and the setscrews aswhich are effectively part of the second members having axiallyextending first and second holding means 140, 44c and which, as bestillustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, engage one another upon relativearcuate movement of the members about their common axis between thefirst or open position of FIGURE 5 and the second or closed position ofFIGURE 6.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shownand described herein, it should be noted that various changes may bemade therein without eparting from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention, what is claimed and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. A hanger for suspending pipe Within a well comprising a diametricallysplit cylindrical body having an annular groove in the peripherythereof, a latch mechanism comprising a diametrically split ring mountedin said groove for circumferential movement relative to said body, saidring and said groove having complementary cross sectional configurationswhereby said ring is restrained from movement radially out of saidgroove, and releasable means forcing said ring against a side wall ofsaid groove to positively align the parts of said body.

2. A hanger for suspending pipe within a well comprising a cylindricalbody split into a plurality of sections of arcuate cross section andhaving an annular groove formed in the periphery of said body, a ringslidably mounted in said groove and split into a plurality of arcuatesections, said ring and said groove having complementary cross sectionalconfigurations whereby the sections of said ring are restrained frommoving radially out of the groove, and a setscrew threaded into a holeextending radially through the ring and adapted to abut one wall of saidgroove to move the ring into tight engagement with another wall of saidgroove and lock the ring against circumferential movement relative tosaid body and rigidly interconnect said body sections.

3. A hanger for suspending pipe within a well comprising a cylindricalbody split into a plurality of sections of a-rcuate cross section andhaving an annular groove of dovetail cross sectional configurationformed in the body, and a ring of dovetail cross section split into anumber of arcuate sections corresponding both in arcuate length and innumber to the body sections, said ring being slidably mounted in saidgroove for movement circumferentially of the body to optionallyinterconnect the sections of the body or to release them from eachother, and means engageable with said ring for pressing said ring intopressure engagement with a side wall of said groove for rigidly unitingsaid body sections in cylindrical arrangement.

4. A hanger for suspending pipe within a well comprising a diametricallysplit cylindrical body having an annular groove in the peripherythereof, said groove having a dovetail cross sectional configuration, adiametrically split ring of dovetail cross section slidably mounted insaid groove, said ring bein adapted. to bridge, the split in said body,and a plurality of setscrews screwed into threaded holes extendingthrough the ring and adapted to abut the bottom of the groove to movethe ring against a side wall of said groove to align the parts of thesplit body in the shape of a cylinder and to lock the ring againstcircumferential movement relative to said body.

5. A hanger for suspending pipe within a well comprising a cylindricalbody split into a plurality of arcuate segments and having an annulargroove formed therein, a latch mechanism comprising a ring split into anumber of sections equal to the segments of said body both in number andin arcuate length and mounted in said groove for circumferentialmovement relative to said body, said ring and said groove havingcomplementary cross sectional configurations whereby said ring isrestrained from movement out of said groove, and a threaded memberengaging each of said sections for advancing the same into tightengagement with a side wall of said retaining groove.

6. A hanger for suspending pipe within a well comprising a cylindricalbody split into a plurality of arcuate segments and having thereininclined walls defining an an nular groove of dovetail cross sectionalconfiguration, and a ring having inclined walls providing a dovetailcross sectional configuration, said ring being split into a number ofarcuate sections corresponding to the number of the body segments, saidring being slidably mounted in said groove for movementcircumferentially of the body to optionally interconnect the sections ofthe body or to release them from each other and means on said ring formoving said inclined ring Walls into engagement with said inclinedgroove walls.

'7. A hanger for suspending pipe within a well comprising adiametrically split cylindrical body having therein an annular groovehaving at least one inclined wall, a diametrically split ring having acorrespondingly inclined wall, said ring being slidably mounted in saidgroove for movement circumferentially with respect to the body, andreleasable means for forcing said inclined wall of the ring against saidinclined wall of the groove to align and firmly interconnect the partsof said split body in fixed position relative to each other.

8. A hanger assembly for supporting a pipe string from the interior seatof a well head comprising a plurality of arcuate segmental first andsecond members disposable together in cooperating relation with respectto each other to form a substantially radially rigid annular body havingan exterior seat for engaging the interior seat of a head, there being abore for receiving a pipe string, and means for supporting a pipe stringreceived in said bore, said members in cooperating relation beingarcnate about a common axis, said first and second members havingaxially extending first and second holding means, respectively, adaptedto engage one another upon relative arcuate movement about said com'nonaxis between a first position of cooperating relation wherein saidmembers are movable out of and into surrounding relation to a pipestring between the ends thereof and a second position of cooperatingrelation wherein said members are fixedly retained by said holding meansin cooperating relation to form said substantially radially rigidannular body.

9. A split hanger comprising a plurality of first arcuate segmentalmembers, each of said first members having opposite end edges, saidmembers being assembled in annular formation with adjacent end edges ofthe members in confronting relation to each other, said confronting endedges defining splits between said first members, each of said firstmembers, having a groove extending between said end edges with saidgrooves forming a continuous annular slot in the assembled formation ofsaid members, and a plurality of second arcuate segmental members fittedin said slot and being freely slidable about the entire circumference ofsaid slot, said second members individually bridging said splits so thatall of said splits are bridged, said second members having opposite endportion means extending partially into the grooves of the first membersand releasably holding said assembled first members in radially rigidrelation.

10. The hanger of claim 9 wherein each groove has a predeterminedlength, wherein each second member has a length substantially equal tosaid predetermined length, and wherein said second members are movablein said slot individually into the grooves of said first members so thateach first member can carry a second member and so that each of saidfirst members can be separated from the other of said first members whensaid second members are individually entirely located in theirrespective grooves.

11. The hanger of claim 9 wherein said end portion means or" the secondmembers have opposite ends in confronting relation to each other anddefine secondary splits therebetween, and wherein said secondary splitsare approximately midway between the splits defined by said firstmembers.

12. The hanger of claim 9 wherein there are two semicylindrical firstmembers and two semi-cylindrical second members.

13. The hanger of claim 9 wherein said first and second members haveinterengaging surfaces limiting movement of said second memberstransversely thereof out of said slot without interfering with the freecircumferential movement of the second members in the slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,412,189 4/22Lopdell 24278 1,637,295 7/27 Dee 294-86.31 1,849,102 3/32 Livergood24-263.5 2,417,181 3/47 Sandilands.

2,610,689 9/52 Eckel 285-447 2,689,139 9/54 Jones et al 24-2635 X2,824,613 2/58 Baker et al 24263.5 X 2,887,754 5/59 Johnson 2 263.53,051,513 8/62 Watts et a1. 285-147 X DONLEY I. STOCKING, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A HANGER FOR SUSPENDING PIPE WITHIN A WELL COMPRISING A DIAMETRICALLYSPLIT CYLINDRICAL BODY AND HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE IN THE PERIPHERYTHEREOF, A LATCH MECHANISM COMPRISING A DIAMETRICALLY SPLIT RING MOUNTEDIN SAID GROOVE FOR CIRCUMFERENTIAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BODY, SAIDRING AND SAID GROOVE HAVING COMPLEMENTARY CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATIONSWHEREBY SAID RING IS RESTRAINED FROM MOVEMENT RADIALLY OUT OF SAIDGROOVE, AND RELEASABLY MEANS FORCING SAID RING AGAINST A SIDE WALL OFSAID GROOVE TO POSITIVELY ALIGN THE PARTS OF SAID BODY.